A simple act of kindness
by Grey11893
Summary: During Third Impact, Shinji made Lilith promise to do one thing before he died, make Asuka happy. But the only one who could make her happy was gone. So Lilith had to search for another Shinji willing to do a final kind deed for a dying girl.


**A simple act of kindness**

Disclaimer:

Don't own anything at all, just a strange sad little thing in my chest that beats. (And greatly annoys me)

Summary:

During Third Impact, Shinji made Lilith promise to do one thing before he died, make Asuka happy. But the only one who could make her happy died. So Lilith had to search for another Shinji willing to do a final kind deed for a dying girl.

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Asuka stared blankly at the dead world. The dull sea of red lazily splashed onto the shore and then receded back. It hit the shore again and then drew back again.

She couldn't believe it. She had failed. Worse, Shinji had failed her. He hadn't come to her rescue, just like he always did. No matter how much she wanted him to save her he just wouldn't budge. Maybe it was her fault. Maybe he just didn't see anything worth saving. Asuka didn't see anything worth saving either.

Her eyes finally moved, slowly looking down at the sandy beach that she was utterly alone in.

'I feel sick.' She said to no one. There was no one there. Funny, it was just like before only minus the illusion of being part of something.

Eventually, her eye lids drooped and finally closed shut as she fell into a dark slumber. There was a light. Should she move towards it?

'Asuka,'

She stopped moving. He had come! He was going to save her! He did love her!

'Asuka,'

He sounded urgent now. Where was he? She couldn't see anything except the light.

'Asuka!' he was shouting. Shinji was shouting at her.

She awoke in both fright and pain as someone shook her awake. He wasn't Shinji.

White eyes, big ones, stared at her. What was this stranger wearing?

'Who are you?' she asked weakly.

'It's me. You know me.' She tried to stand, succeeding only in groaning with pain. His red gloves gently kept her down. 'What happened to you?'

'I…' she swallowed. 'I failed.'

A tear fell down her cheek and the stranger delicately wiped it away.

'He didn't save me. He didn't care.' She hung her head down. 'Nobody ever cared.'

He looked at her; somehow she felt sadness through the mask. 'I care.'

'I don't even know you.'

He seemed shocked and then began to pull his mask off. 'It's me Asuka.'

It was him.

'Shinji?' she was so startled, she didn't know what else to say. 'What are you wearing?'

He smiled sadly at her. 'It's my suit. I'm Spider-Man.'

A fire lit up in her tired eyes and she managed to pull a half-grin. 'You look ridiculous.'

'Not all of us can look as great as you.'

She didn't care what he was wearing or what he called himself. He was Shinji and he was going to stay with her because he cared.

They both smiled at each other for a long time, just feeling happy with one another, but Asuka's smile grew fainter and her sight dimmer.

'Shinji,' her eyes were growing really heavy; she had to tell him soon.

He gently moved her into his arms, her back resting on his chest. He looked down at her with those sad, yet gentle eyes of his, he was smiling. 'Yes Asuka?'

'I think I…' she paused. 'I love you.'

A gust of wind pushed her hair over her eyes. She was too tired to move it herself. He brushed it back, still so gentle, so loving.

'I love you too.' He said finally, caressing her face as she slowly faded away.

'Shinji…' she started to sob quietly. 'Thank you.'

Then she was gone. The boy who held her began to sob. This was the most heart wrenching thing he had ever done. He hugged her tightly, wishing he could bring her back maybe take her with him somewhere, to a place where she could live happily.

'She's gone now.' A soft voice said.

'Yeah,' he said sadly.

'I'm sorry. She wanted to be happy. Shinji asked me to make her happy, but she didn't want to stay with the rest.'

'Sounds like her.'

He gently laid her down, her warm smile still shining at him. She looked so peaceful.

'Can I ask a question?'

Shinji turned his tear streaked face to Rei, or rather Lilith as she called herself. 'Yes?'

'Why did you choose to come? There were others I could have asked.'

He smiled sadly at her and then looked down at the peaceful beauty of Asuka.

'Because I love her,' he reached down to brush her hair out of her face again, 'and I couldn't say no.'

'Why not?' asked the god-like being who tilted her head at the boy.

'I could help her. Wouldn't be responsible to not help, now would it?'

She studied the strange young man, his red and blue suit so out of place in this dark world.

'You are strange.' She said. He would hurt himself to make some other Asuka happy because it was responsible? It was beyond even her understanding.

'Guess I am.'

He picked up his mask and looked down at it, staring into its eyes.

'I promised I would never fail anyone again.' He put the mask on then turned to her. 'I plan on keeping that promise.'

She walked up to him and touched his hand. 'I will take you home now.'

The boy spared a finally look at the girl on the sandy beach, her hair spread out. She looked like an angel.

'Good bye Asuka.'

The desolate waste of a city was replaced by one that was teeming with vibrant bustling energy. Shinji Ikari, Spider-Man, was home.

'I guess this is good bye.' He said, moving towards the edge of the building.

'Yes it is. Thank you for your help.'

'Never a problem,' he leapt, disappearing from sight.

Out of curiosity, Lilith looked over the edge and saw him spin a web to swing from. He scurried and crawled, swung and spun around the city and Lilith realised why he had done what she had asked.

He was a simple, ordinary teenager who made mistakes everyday. Yet, he always strived to be more, to be better. He had chosen to give someone who he had never known a final moment of happiness. It was because he knew how precious such a thing was. He was the perfect Shinji to have asked.

'I see.' She smiled, finally understanding what the words truly meant, the words that made this universe different from the rest. 'With great power, there must come great responsibility.'

Somewhere out there, on a beach with a clear blue ocean, two children walked together. Hand in hand, they strode down the beach as the water ran between their toes. They never let go. Why should they if they loved one another?

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Well, I dunno what to say. You guys might hate it; I'm not even sure what made me write this. I just sort of…wrote it. And for some reason I felt I should post it. Oh well, if I get burned I get burned. I'll totally blame it on lack of sleep.

Oh, and you can totally guess which fic I'm busy (trying desperately) to write.


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